This invention relates to paving blocks for covering the ground, floor, and like surfaces and, more specifically, to a paving block, pentagonal in shape, which performs functions of existing paving blocks, but which additionally allows a multitude of modifiable pentagon and square paving block combinations with the use of only two different paving blocks.
The concept of utilizing paving blocks or pavers for covering the ground or like surfaces is known. U.S. Pat. No. 474,339, issued to Graham, discloses a paving block or building block of polygonal profile, relating to street and sidewalk pavements. Paving blocks utilizing basic square or rectangular shapes have long existed. A multitude of prior art exists directed to paving blocks or ground covering elements of more complex dimensions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,266, issued to Baumberger, discloses a paving stone having complementary concave and convex sides. U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,305, issued to Hair, discloses an interlocking slab element comprising a main hexagonal section with one or more attached tail sections which may be aligned in a variety of configurations. U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,003, also issued to Hair, is likewise directed to a paving stone or slab element having a hexagonal section and a square section. U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,357, issued to Barth, discloses a ground covering slab element comprised of an octagonal head portion and a square or circular stem portion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,599, issued to Glickman, discloses a six-sided paving block in a "chevron" shape. U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,219, issued to Hair, discloses an interlocking paving block having a twelve-sided main section and an eight-sided tail section. U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,957, issued to Johnson, II, discloses another multi-sided paving block which provides paving in the way of adjacent like blocks laid in various patterns. The above-referenced prior art is generally directed to continual patterns of the same paver or slab elements, albeit a variety of patterns may be available with a single block.
The use of a general pentagonal shape in block construction for ground covering, floor covering, or like surfaces is also known. Great Britain Patent No. 209,316, issued to Wettern, discloses a pentagonal block utilized to "edge" pavement comprised of diagonally disposed rectangular homogeneous elements. European Patent Office Patent No. 0415093A1, issued to Funfeck-Stein, discloses a pentagonal paving element having 2 longer side dimensions and three shorter side dimensions for use both in patterns of homogeneous elements and in patterns with interspersed squares and rectangles.
While all of the referenced prior art relates, in some respect, to polygonal paving blocks, tiles or pavers, for the most part, all of said inventions are directed primarily towards arrangements of homogeneous elements of the respective invention. To the extent that said referenced prior art discloses a pentagonal block used in combination with other shapes, the pentagonal blocks are utilized solely to create a linear edge to the paving pattern, as in the Wettern patent, or require a minimum of three paver dimensions to complete a paving pattern, as in the Funfeck-Stein patent.
Paving blocks or elements such as those disclosed in the referenced prior art are often used in the construction of roadways, sidewalks, patios, decks, floors, embankments,and other like uses. They are typically chosen over monolithic-type slabs for durability, aesthetic, quality, pattern variety and ease of installation replacement and pattern modification.
The referenced prior art and its progeny have each been able to address these various qualities with varying degrees of success, but none have been able to satisfactorily address all of the qualities in an optimum manner.
Existing paving blocks or elements may be generally grouped into two categories. These are, on the one hand, paving blocks which allow a linear edge to the paving pattern and, on the other hand, those that require cutting of elements or special pieces to create a linear edge.
While paving blocks which are square or rectangular in shape have long been known to supply a linear pattern edge, they lack significantly in the areas of aesthetic quality and pattern variety. The more complex paving blocks, such as those shown in the referenced prior art, provide great advantage in the areas of aesthetics and pattern variety, but, because of the variety of sizes and shapes required to obtain a linear pattern edge, often this advantage comes at the expense of installation economy.
Additionally, the referenced prior art paving blocks or elements require selection of a pre-set pattern which may not be significantly deviated from.
Additionally, in the field of ceramic tile, a configuration is known which is often categorized as "pentagon and dot." In this configuration, combinations of four pentagonal tiles having two longer sides at right angles to each other and three shorter sides, one of which opposes the right angle, surround a square tile whose exterior side dimensions equal the length of the opposing shorter sides of the pentagons. This design does not allow interchangability of the square tile used as the "dot" and square tiles which may be used to separate the groups of pentagons. The interchangability of the "dot" and square tiles is a critical consideration in manufacturing. The manufacturer incurs considerable expense in making the molds for each individual paving block or tile. Any innovation in the field which allows a lesser number of different size units to be utilized in any pattern will result in significant cost savings and commercial advantage to the manufacturer. Further, "pentagon and dot" has limited application in paving block applications laid over a sand base, because the difference in size of the pentagonal and square tiles does not facilitate uniform compaction and resistance to loads.
Accordingly, a need exists for a paving block for covering the ground, floor, or like surfaces, which provides for ease in installation by providing a linear pattern edge, but which also addresses aesthetic considerations and ease of installation, replacement and modification. Specifically, what is needed is a complex paving block, capable of being used in homogeneous patterns, in the same manner as the referenced prior art, but which may also be used in combination with no more than one additional shape and size of block to create patterns which have linear edges, without the need of cutting, and which patterns may be irregular or regular and may be modified during or after initial installation.